United Arab Emirates First round of Ukraine negotiations ends in Abu Dhabi
Russia and Ukraine have ended the first round of direct peace talks in a long time in Abu Dhabi late this evening. "The meeting was dedicated to the conditions for ending the Russian war and the further logic of the negotiation process, with the aim of achieving a dignified and lasting peace," announced Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umjerov in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) late in the evening. He did not give any details. The talks are to continue this Saturday.
23.01.2026, 21:37
SDA
According to Umjerow, the Ukrainian delegation also included Presidential Chancellery Chief Kyrylo Budanow, the parliamentary group leader of the presidential party, David Arachamija, and Deputy Foreign Minister Serhij Kyslyzja. On the US side, special envoy Steve Witkoff, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Daniel Driscoll, who is responsible for the army, were among those present. The Russian negotiating delegation will be led by the head of military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov.
Ukrainian military will take part in negotiations on Saturday
According to Kostyukov, the Ukrainian Chief of Staff Andriy Hnatov and the Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence, Lieutenant General Vadym Skibitsky, will join the negotiations this Saturday. "We are prepared to work in different formats depending on the course of the dialog," said Umyerov.
The talks are essentially about whether Ukraine will accept the Russian condition for a ceasefire and withdraw from the part of the Donbass industrial region in eastern Ukraine still controlled by Kiev. So far, Kiev has always rejected this. However, before the talks began, the Kremlin had once again stated this as a basic prerequisite for a ceasefire. Russia is also threatening to continue the war, which has been going on for almost four years, if Ukraine does not withdraw.
